Save Haven
by NotCrazyJustWeird97
Summary: Leah and her daughter are lucky. They survived the initial outbreak. And then one day, almost completely out of supplies, it seems like their luck is running out, until they meet Rick Grimes, a man desperate to find his family. Despite her gut instinct, Leah follows him to Atlanta, and trouble follows her.


**Chapter 1**

The sun was beating down on my back as I moved on sore feet. My mouth felt like I had swallowed cotton and my stomach was growling in protest to the lack of food being given to it. The pack hooked over my shoulders seemed to be growing heavier with every step I took and my shoulder ached from my right arm being pulled down by my side as Keira toddled along beside me. I could hear the words of the song she was softly singing and almost laughed.

"_When Santa got stuck in the chimney, he began to shout -"_

Only she could sing Christmas songs in the middle of summer, and during a damn zombie apocalypse. I cast a quick glance down at her. Her blonde curls were pulled into pigtails on either side of her head. Those big green eyes were focused on her feet as she stumbled along, clutching my pinkie finger in one tiny hand.

Suddenly, she looked up and asked a question I'd hoped she wouldn't, "Mommy, when can we eat? I'm hungry."

"W-we can eat right now, baby," I replied hesitantly, gesturing for her to sit down on the side of the road. I sat beside her and began to root through my bag, looking for the miniscule amount of food buried at the bottom. I pulled out the last packet of Cheeto's and opened them, before handing it to her with a quick, "Make it count. There's not a lot left, RaRa."

She held out the bag with a little smile. "Want some?"

Despite my hunger, I shook my head and answered, "No, sweetie. You eat them, they're all for you."

I watched as she ate her way through the bag, wiping her hands on her t-shirt as she got crumbs all over her fingers. Absently, I reached out and put my arm around her, pulling her into my side and planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head, twirling her soft hair round my fingers.

"Mommy … What was Daddy like?" she asked quietly.

My breath hitches in my throat. "RaRa, you know what he was like, I've told you before," I said.

"I wanna hear it again," she insisted, staring at me with wide eyes. I sighed and leaned back on my hands, stretching my legs out in front of me and wiggling my feet.

"I met your daddy in college. I was studying drama, he was doing politics. Heck, we were polar opposite, ya know? He wanted to be president some day, and I wanted to be in musicals. But he was incredible. He was smart and funny … and handsome. And one day, we had you. You were a surprise, but don't get me wrong, I wanted you from the day I found out you existed.

"We were so happy. But he got sick, a few months before you were born, and he wasn't going to get better. And now he's in Heaven. He's watching over us though, I promise," I explained.

She rested her head on my arm, falling silent for a few moments. "It's okay though, Mommy," she remarked. "'Cause I've got you, and you've got me. And I love you so much."

I swallowed the lump rising in my throat and croaked, "I love you more, baby."

And that's when I heard it. It was distant, but I heard it. The unmistakeable rumble of a car engine. I let go of Keira and rose to my feet, stumbling as I did so. The police cruiser approached us slowly, and the driver rolled down the window. He had short, dark hair and blue eyes. His eyes crinkled when he gave a warm smile.

"You two need some help?" he asked.

I nodded, before finding my voice. "Yes, please," I answered. "If it's not too much trouble."

He cast his eyes over Keira and I, and shook his head. "It's no trouble, ma'am," he assured me. "Please, hop in."

I removed the bag as I climbed into the back of the car with my daughter, settling her on the lap after I closed the door behind me. I set the bag in the foot well and met the man's eyes in the rearview mirror. He smiled again.

"My name's Officer Grimes. Rick," he told me.

"Leah," I replied. "Leah Gordon. It's nice to meet you, Officer."

He turned his eyes back to the road and began to drive again. "You two headed to Atlanta?" he questioned.

I shrugged. "Maybe just to grab a few supplies, but then we're getting the hell out. Atlanta's a mess, didn't you know that?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

I snorted with laughter, before realizing he was deadly serious. "Man, where've you been the last few months? Living under a rock?"

"No," he answered. "In a hospital, in a coma. I woke up yesterday."

I felt my cheeks grow hot. "Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean -"

He nodded, cutting me off as he quickly said, "I know you didn't. So, what do you mean about Atlanta?"

"It was completely overrun. It's crazy in there," I explained.

"My wife, my son, there's a chance they might be there, at the refugee centre," he insisted.

"Officer Grimes … Rick … If they had any sense, they stayed as far away from the city as they possibly could. You better pray they're out in the country somewhere, away from civilisation. All the big cities went down. Disease spread like wildfire."

Keira looked up at me. "What does that mean, Mommy?" she queried.

I glanced at her briefly. "It means that it spread really, really quickly, and to a lot of people," I answered. I made eye contact with Rick again. "Trust me. You go too deep into the city, you'll get torn apart by those -" I stopped, looking at my daughter, "- those _things._"

"I have to try," he replied. "If there's even a chance, I have to take it. You can come with me, or not, but it's your choice, Leah."

After a few beats, I finally sighed. "I'll go with you. Just in case the refugee centre actually exists. For Keira."


End file.
